Alarm apparatus for automatic sprinkler systems.



A. BLAUVELT.

ALARM APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC SPRlNRLER SYSTEMS.

APPLICAION HLU) NDV. 9, i907.

Patented May 30, 1916.

N \\\\k A A. WAUW, A .i A i AAA! ALBERT BLAUVELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ALARM APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed November 9, 1907. Serial No. 401,468.

To all whom it' may concern: v

15e it known that I, ALBERT Bi..\U\'Em, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm Apparatus for Automatic Sprinkler Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus through which a continued reduction of pressure in the supply pipe of a wet pipe sprinkler system, and consequent How of water through the automatic valve thereof to such apparatus for a certain length of time, will operate an alarm.

The object Vof my invention is to provide an apparatus or attachment of this character which is capable of overcoming many ofv the difliculties experienced' in actual practice and caused by dirt or sediment in the vsprinkler supply water which causes leakage 4and injury at vthe valve seats, also water hammer and tire pressure, which according to present practice, frequently send in false alarms. Moreover, my attachment is so constructed that it is absolutely self-draining, so that it willdrain itself promptly after cach' operation and will notthereby be liable to freeze even although located in'an cxposcd or cold' location. i Furthermore, by the use of my invention I am enabled to dispenseiwith electric batteries as now coin monly used and to employ magneto electric' cui-rent, wluch is more reliable. than thcwill be apparent from the description heresl inaftergiven. y.

vln the dra wing Figuie 1 is u sectional elc ration of a portion of my attachment with other parts thereof Shown with kucken-away portil'ns, to expose the mechanism therewithin; and Fig. 2 a fragmental horizontal view, partly in section, taken on a plan immediately above thehinge E, the supplementary check valve F being removed:

Referring to the present embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that my automatic'valve' and the alarm attachment are connected with the usual riser or 4main 'vertical supply pipe -supplying the automatic sprinklers,`the lower portion A thereci supplying, the water vtothe automatic talv'e C and the upper portion B leading ifr'om'such automatic valve to the distributing pipes which, it will be understood, are provided with automatic sprinklers of any usual type. Within the casing of the auto.- matic valve is a vertical liftvswing check valve formed in two parts, of which the lower part D is hinged at E, while the other part F is connected therewith by means of the bolt (l, but capable of an independent vmovement with respect to the portion D.

Botli of these. parts of the check valve are separate valves, the portion F being arranged to seat upon an annular seat on the check valve D, the same being preferably such as indicated at G. This valve F, which may he termed a supplement-ary cheek valve,

is free to move up and down within the other valve, which may be termed the main check valve and the degree of litt is regulated in suitable manner, as by means of the lugs H l-l, as shown in the drawings. The'main check valve is provided on its under surface with an annular groove I located immediately over water passageways J J formed in the bushing K, whose upper end forms avalve seatffor the main check valve. These passageways .l communicate at their lower ends with an annular groove L which in turn conuuunicates .with the connecting pipel M. It will be understood that this connecting pipe may be short, as shown in the drawattachment proper nowto be described.

The connecting or supply pipe M is adapted to communicate with the alarm attachment N and as shown in Fig. l, such supplypipe f enters a chamber O formed below the casing of the attachment, which chamber is preferably provided with a strainer such as the bushing P having the series of saw slits acting as strainers. The bottom of the chamber O is provided with a relief opening communicating with a chamber Q1 ,and governed by -a relief valve Q, such relief valve being held to its seat withapredetermined pressure by means of a spring q. The

chamber O has-a constant restricted eominunicaton with the chamber-or reservoir R of the attachment N and alsola variable restricted communication. To this endQ-these chambers are separated byl means oaidi phragm S having a constantly open.b'ut-.re-` 1 .i

stricte'd passage s forming a' drain passage as hereinafter made apparent, and `also with lio :Annul 609mg n p tow or possibly a minute has v the main check io' vre-Samt. thus 'shut-tlm succeeding n tl'xrongh pnssugewn'ys elapsed, according to the predetermined plan, whereupon the water will buoy up the float V, which, when it rises into the dotted position shown. moves away the cam or de tent W from the upper end of the stem T. As aresult, the, water flowing upwardly from the chamber (i) forces the stem to its dotted position, thereby opening the passage at this point to its full capacity and permitting a proportionally great increase of flow of water into the chamber l. The object of the increase of flow is to furnish motor power and it continues to rise and eventually flows through the pipe X leading trom the top thereof to any suitable form of hydraulic motor. such as shown at Y, for the purpose of operating the alarm. This alarm operation may be accomplished either by causing the water motor to act directly upon an alarm bell mechanism. or mechanical signals or by connecting sueh water motor with .lny suitable magneto5 such as shown at Z in the present instance. The current from the magneto may be employed to actuate alarm bells. annunciators or any other alarms or signals suitable for operation by electric current. lt is thus evident that so long as there is continuous flow ot water through the automatic: valve, the operation of the alarm (subsequenty to the delay of approximately halt a minute or so. as explained) will be continuous and that. when the tiow ot' water ceases. as b v shutting ott the sprinkler system subsequent to a fire, the .main valve l) re-seats by gravity. shutting olil the flow ot' water b v passageways J L and M. and the water in chamber lt drains ott through the holes .e and flf. Also the stem 'l` falls hy gravity immediately upon the. cessation ot the flow ol' water upwardly from the chamber t) and the ioat V returns to its normal position shown as the water drains away subsequent to the gravity fall of the stem T. "hus. the chambers lt and 0 are drained and all oll the parts oil the apparatus are re-set in readiness for further service.

lt will be understood that the automatic valve controls the foreiblc motor rurrent to what may be termed the time-delay dwire comprising the easing N and its associated parts. which is so constructed and arranged as to take rare ol' ordinary conditions without sending in a t'alse alarm and to provide for a full tiow ot' the water to the motor, which takes place only when the automatic, valve has been fully operated as in ease ot' lire. As hereinbefore stated any suitable alarm or signaling device may be employed such as for instance. as shown in the drawings. an electric hell .el or an annunciator drop 22.

I claim:

l. An alarln device for automatic sprinkler systems which have an automatic valve mechanism. said device comprising a tluid pressure actuated mechanism for operating an alarm. a chamber or reservoir communi eating by one opening with such fluid pressure mechanism and by another opening with said automatic valve mechanism, said chamber being also provided with a restricted leak port and otherwise closed` means for positively restricting the tlow of water into said chamber during a predetermined period of time and for then removmg said restriction and permitting the tlow ot a larger volume of water to operate the tiuid pressure mechanism.

i3. .\n alarm device fr automatic sprinklei' systems which have an automatic valve merhanism, said device comprising a tluid pressure actuated mechanism for operating an alarm. a chamber or reservoir communicating by one opening with such fluid pres- .sure mechanism and by another opening with said automatic valve mechanism` said chamber being also provided with a restricted leak port and otherwise closed7 means governed by the level of the water in said chamber for first positively restricting the flow thereinto, and t'or aiteiwvard removing said restriction and permitting the flow ot a larger volume of water to operate the fluid pressure mechanism. i

Il. .\n alarm device for automatic sprinkler systems which have an automatic valve merhanism. said device comprising a` lluid pressure actuated mechanism for operating an alarm. a chamber or reservoir communicating respectively with such fluid pressure mechanism and said automatic valve mechanism` means t'or restricting the tiow ot' water into said chamber during a predetermined period otl time and then for permitting a t'ree ilow when the time of How exceeds sueb period and to thereby operate the fluid pressure meehanism. said means romprising a movable stem working in the passage or inlet to said chamber and normally restricting the same. and a float cooperating with such stem to permit ot the removal from such inlet and to thereby permit tree passage of the water.

At. .\n alarm device for automataI sprinkler systems which have an automatic valve mechanism. said device comprising a Huid pressure actuated nnfehanism for operating an alarm. a chamber or reservoir communicating respectively with such fluid pressure merhanism and said automatic valve mechanism. means tor restricting the How of water into said chamber during a predetermined period of time and then for permitting a free tlow when the time ot flow eX- ceeds such period and to thereby operate the tiuid pressure mechanism, said means comprising a movable stem working in the passage or inlet to said chamber and normally restrictingr the same, a movable delltl 1. .1 C ..1 .l H 4.... .1. ...1. 11 \.1.. 0...... 1. .1.|. 1. mw... ...M .n .1111.. N S 1\. H f. 11. .1. um 1. .1h 1. u... .11... .U .1. ...1. .w .u .n u 1.1. K.. .1 u .1, .1.. m.. ...1... 1 .1. hr1. 1. i u. ..1 1... 11 .U ...1.... M U 11..... ..1 1. 1 .l m1 t L 1- .1. .1. ...1 C1., uw... .S u.. 1. .1. .n H. 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